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(Carl Peter) Henrik Damwas born in Copenhagen on 21st February 1895, to

Emil Dam, apothecary, and his wife Emilie n!e "eterson#, a teacher$

%he young man graduated in chemistry from the "olytechnic &nstitute, Copenhagen in 192', and the same

year was appointed instructor assistant# in chemistry at the (chool of )griculture and *eterinary +edicine,

progressing to instructor in biochemistry at the "hysiological aboratory of the -ni.ersity of Copenhagen,

192/$ %he following year saw his marriage, to &nger, n!e 0lsen$

&n 1925 Dam studied microchemistry in ra )ustria# with F$ "regl$ 3e became )ssistant "rofessor at the

&nstitute of 4iochemistry, Copenhagen -ni.ersity, in 1928, and was promoted to )ssociate "rofessor at the

same place in 1929, continuing to hold this post although he was woring abroad part of the time, till 1961$

0n submitting a thesis Nogle Undersgelser over Sterinernes Biologiske Betydning(ome in.estigations on

the biological significance of the sterines# to the -ni.ersity of Copenhagen in 19/6, Dam was awarded "h$D$

in 4iochemistry$

%o further his studies of the metabolism of sterols, Dam obtained a 7ocefeller Fellowship and wored in

7udolph (choenheimers aboratory in Freiburg, ermany, during 19/219//, and later wored with "$

:arrer, of ;urich, in 19/5$ 3e disco.ered .itamin : while studying the sterol metabolism of chics in

Copenhagen$ 3e studied this .itamin further with respect to its occurrence and biological function in animals

and plants, as well as its application in human medicine, its fundamental chemical and physical properties

and its purification and isolation the latter part of this research being carried out in collaboration with "$

:arrer$ From the study of .itamin : arose the obser.ation of some new symptoms in e$?$, between 19621965 as a (enior

7esearch )ssociate it was during this period that he was awarded the 196/ >obel "rie for "hysiology or

+edicine and at the 7ocefeller &nstitute for +edical 7esearch in 1965 as an )ssociate +ember$

http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/1923/index.htmlhttp://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/1937/index.htmlhttp://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/1937/index.htmlhttp://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/1923/index.htmlhttp://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/1937/index.htmlhttp://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/chemistry/laureates/1937/index.html

8/11/2019 Henrik dam + vitaminak

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During his absence, Dam was appointed "rofessor of 4iochemistry at the "olytechnic &nstitute,

Copenhagen, in 1961, though the designation of his Chair at the "olytechnic &nstitute was changed to

"rofessor of 4iochemistry and >utrition in 195'$

)fter his return to Denmar in 196@, Dams main research subAects were .itamin :, .itamin E, fats,

cholesterol, and, in recent years, nutritional studies in relation to gallstone formation$ 3e has been leader of

the 4iochemical Di.ision of the Danish Fat 7esearch &nstitute from 195@ to 19@2$

3e has published or has collaborated in the publication of about /15 articles on biochemical problems,

mainly concerning the biochemistry of sterols, .itamins : and E, and fats$

"rofessor Dam is a member of the Danish )cademy of %echnical (ciences 196B# the 7oyal Danish

)cademy of (ciences and etters 1968# he was Correspondant tranger, )cad!mie 7oyale de +!decine

de 4elgiue 1951# elected 3on$ Fellow of the 7oyal (ociety, Edinburgh 195/# became oint 3onorary

"resident, &nternational -nion of >utritional (ciences in 1956, and was Corresponding +ember of the

erman )ssociation for >utrition in 19@1, following on the award of the >orman +edal by the erman)ssociation for Fat 7esearch the pre.ious year$

From Nobel Lectures,Physiology or Medicine 194219!2, Else.ier "ublishing Company, )msterdam, 19@6

%his autobiographyGbiography was written at the time of the award and first published in the boo series Les Pri" Nobel$ &t

was later edited and republished in Nobel Lectures$%o cite this document, always state the source as shown abo.e$

http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_organizations/nobelfoundation/publications/lectures/index.htmlhttp://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_organizations/nobelfoundation/publications/lectures/index.htmlhttp://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_organizations/nobelfoundation/publications/lesprix.htmlhttp://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_organizations/nobelfoundation/publications/lectures/index.htmlhttp://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_organizations/nobelfoundation/publications/lectures/index.htmlhttp://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_organizations/nobelfoundation/publications/lectures/index.htmlhttp://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_organizations/nobelfoundation/publications/lesprix.htmlhttp://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_organizations/nobelfoundation/publications/lectures/index.html